In many city homes, air conditioners are working overtime this April as the nights have become warmer. This weather trend is set to continue for some more days as the minimum temperature will stay above normal.
On Friday, the maximum temperature registered in Nungambakkam was 35 degrees Celsius and in Meenambakkam, it was 35.3 degrees Celsius.
The weather observatory in Nungambakkam recorded a minimum temperature of 28.8 degrees Celsius, which is nearly three degrees Celsius above normal.
Though the mercury level has stayed close to normal, residents note that now they feel uncomfortable and sultry right from the morning. Over the past one week, night temperature has been steadily going up and many residents have started sleeping on the terrace or running the air conditioner for six to seven hours.
Officials of the Meteorological Department said such weather phenomenon was possible during the transition period when the wind direction changed from easterlies to hot westerly winds this month.
The department forecasts a possibility of mild showers on Saturday in some parts of Chennai. Some areas in southern and interior parts of the State are also likely to experience light rains.
S. Balachandran, Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, Chennai, said many areas would start experiencing thunderstorms during such a transition period. Night temperature was growing beyond normal due to the westerly component in the wind that brings in hot air and also the moisture being fed from the sea. “We get southerly or south-easterly winds now and the days will get hotter by mid-April when wind shifts to strong westerly winds,” he said.
Weather experts note that the southerly winds that bring more moisture from the southern Bay of Bengal are keeping the city warm during nights as well.
Y.E.A. Raj, former deputy director general of meteorology, said southerly winds did not allow cooling of radiation that occurred at night.
As the minimum temperature peaked above 28 degrees Celsius owing to such moisture incursion, the day temperature too peaked further, aggravated by clear skies, leading to sultry days.
The intervention of sea breeze was expected to have a greater impact in a week.
